Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1887-09-30

At the next general election in Novem.
Der the people of Maryland will decide
whether or not Convention shall assem-.
bic to remodel our Organic law.
The question is q very grave one. II
should not be in any sense party question,
but matter for the citizen to determine in
his individual judgment, and according to
his earnest convictions Of what Is best for
the welfare of the people, OF the State. His
judgment should, in this instance especially,
be based upon clear conception of all that
such proposition involves, without refer.
ence to the charges and counter charges oil
selfish and unworthy motives of those who
favor it and of those who oppose it.
After careful thought we are forced to
declare ourselves against the call; Rsvolu.
tions-and this Is in all essential respects q
revolution-are always dangerous, and yet
paradoxical as It may seem, the best po-
ltical reforms are the outgrewth Of rev.
dictionary eras, and ,the work Of men
in whose minds the revolutionary spirit Is O
dominating chFrse'erls'ic BIT the revolu-
ttion which produces good ressst.s-iis-aA ss C.
velopment within" the outcry of people
trampled upon and oppressed-the revolu.
ton that produces evil results Is an "impo.
sition without" or the last named kind is,
in our judgment, the present agitation for q
new Constitution; move on the part OF
the politiciaps, not the demand of q suffer-
ing community In all such movements
heretofore in Maryland-with a single ex-
ception-some political necessity has com.
PEELED change, and that necessity has been
indicated by the almost universal discon.
tent of the people. This discomfort has
arisen from the fact that existing Contitu.
tiunal limitations did not permit ,he full
activity Of energy and enterprise, or because
unforeseen political and material progress
afforded the opportunity and occasion of
Encouragement and corruption.
The exception above alluded to was the
Constitution Of 1854, perhaps the most
unique piece of political clap-trap in all
American history. Like all "impostions
from without" it was short lived, and fell
as soon as the manhood OF the people of the
State had liberty to assert ITSELF But it
had value 1t taught lesson which we
ofto-day, If we are wise, will heed.
q, 1t is singular and significant fact that
of all the reasons assigned for the formation
OF new Constitution, not one alleges
fundamental error in the existing instru-
ment Even the much-criticised fifteenth
article of the Bill Of Rights is admitted to
be Theoretically perfect" That article has
stood for hundred and eleven years through
all Constitutional developments, through all
the mutations Of parties, through all the
changes wrought by progress, as the most
elastic and adaptable of the general princi.
pies in our Constitutional history. Under II,
all things tangible, and many things intan.
gible, have been taxed, and except In those
cases in which they impaired the obligs.
tons of Legislative contracts, the Courts
have invariably declared the taxes imposed
10 be Constitutional. TINE, and time again Il
-fsg been demonstrated that Constitutional
provisions are as powerless as Legislative
enactments 10 break contracts which the
State has made with corporations, and Il is
both weak and dishonest to insist that prop
orty now exempt from taxation can be
reached by Convention more certainly
and effectually than by the General Assem-.
bly,.
Another singular fact is, that those who
are most active in promoting the movement
OF new Constitution are the most strenu.
Gus in defense of the administration Of the
government Of the State under the existing
conditions. 1t is held up as model Of econ.
omy and docency, and. for most part, Justly
so. But could this be true II, in lis details,
our Constitution were radically defectiyei
Can there be at the same moment an i'm.
perfect system Of government, III adapted TO
the needs Of the time, and an administra-
ton under II which is above censure, abun.
dant cause for complaint, and yet no muir.
muir Of discomfort.
II is not claimed that our Executive de.
partment needs remodellng. 1t is not as.
sorted that the Legislative powers are not
ample or are insufficiently guarded and
limited. But, Il is said, our Judiciary sys-
tenn is cumbersome, expensive and unsatis-
factory. That it is cumbersome In some re-
spects is admitted, but upon the whole 1t is
quite satisfactory to the people, and II is
certainly not more expensive than any
the proposed substitutes would be. In this
connection, II should be remembered that
the present Judiciary system was estab. !